Should Landlords be Making a Move to Electric Central Heating?
Published on June 12, 2017 by Sarah Mac
As reported in the trade press, the number of electrical boiler and heating installations is set to overtake gas within just a few years, so say industry groups.
A member of the Association of Registered Gas Installers commented that residential landlords were increasingly replacing their ageing gas boilers with electric equivalents. Furthermore, many high rise developers were snubbing gas altogether, specifying and fitting only electric. Even a Home Builders Federation spokesman confirmed that electricity was the dominant energy source for heating in new build apartments.
Head of technical services at the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) Giuliano Digilio, said, “Many landlords are not returning to gas for various reasons and I’ve been predicting this would happen for years.
“Traditionally, gas was regarded as cheaper than electricity and so almost everybody installed gas central heating systems; very few people relied on electric heating. That has been changing over the past 20 years or so as the cost of electricity came down.”
This is a very interesting trend and one which, when you look into it, isn’t really all that surprising. Here we take a look at the benefits to landlords of opting for electric, but let’s first have a brief look at what electric central heating actually entails.
How does electric central heating work?
Electric central heating is a central heating and hot water system that runs off mains electricity. It consists of an electric combination boiler which provides the property’s hot water on demand, together with electric radiators that are mains wired through a 13-amp socket. Each radiator is individually controlled via its own thermostat which means you can enjoy temperatures that are ideal for each room. Some even come with a remote control and hour-by-hour programming for the ultimate in control. The boilers will also connect to under floor heating and solar heating systems too.
Electric central heating is NOT to be confused with night storage heaters. It is basically the same as a gas central heating system, just powered by electricity. Users enjoy full control and from the landlord’s point of view, there is excellent choice when it comes to the actual boiler with brands such as Thermaflow, Trianco and Heatrae Sadia all supplying options.
Why go electric?
There are various benefits to the landlord when it comes to opting for an electric central heating system:
Benefit 1: Safety
The media is regularly awash with stories concerning gas boiler safety and carbon monoxide poisoning is devastatingly common. For landlords, this should be a cautionary tale. Just last year a London based landlord was handed an 8-week suspended sentence for gas safety failings.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court made the ruling after learning that the landlord failed to arrange a safety check on a gas boiler. A tenant raised concerns about a carbon monoxide leak from a boiler and the gas supply was disconnected by the National Grid. The tenant went on to make a complaint to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The landlord pleaded guilty to breaching the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. As well as the suspended sentence he was ordered by pay costs to the HSE plus a victim surcharge.
Safety concerns are one of the main reasons landlords are switching to electric central heating. With no risk of carbon monoxide poisoning or any other gas related hazards, the electric alternative clearly offers enhanced peace of mind.
The media is regularly awash with stories concerning gas boiler safety
Benefit 2: Reduced Responsibilities
The London landlord sentenced for gas safety failings had not arranged gas safety checks, which is a statutory requirement under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. Under these regulations, all gas appliances in rented properties must be safety checked on an annual basis and these checks must be undertaken by a Gas Safe registered engineer who must issue a Gas Safety Certificate. Landlord gas safety is something we have covered in more detail in a previous post.
Where there is gas on the property, as well as the annual safety checks, landlords are required by law to repair and maintain appliances, flues and gas pipework and ensure a carbon monoxide alarm is present in all rooms where there is a solid fuel burning appliance. Tenants’ own gas appliances also in part form a liability for the landlord.
Whilst electrical safety is also important and there are compliance requirements under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, it does not carry with it as many responsibilities as gas, with no annual safety checks, servicing or safety certificates currently required.
Benefit 3: Flexibility
Electric boilers are almost silent in operation and very compact in size. They pose no health threats as they do not emit carbon monoxide. This means an electric boiler can be conveniently situated anywhere within a property as there is no flue and no noise.
So if space is at a premium and there are limited suitable locations for a boiler, electric makes it all so much easier. Electric boilers are also suitable for developments where flues are not permitted, such as those in enclosed spaces in London.
Benefit 4: Cost Savings
Electric central heating is simple to install which makes it cost effective from a fitting point of view. Providing you use an NICEIC registered installer then you will be complying with the law.
Furthermore, electric boilers are highly energy efficient, usually more than 99 per cent and some 100 per cent. They run on economical electric tariffs and when controlled by an off peak time controller, then you will further maximise the benefits of the boiler. These controllers allow the user to take full advantage of the reduced rate electricity provided by a wet electric off-peak tariff.
They are also very straightforward to maintain. With no moving parts, there is less chance of something going wrong, which is why there is no need for annual servicing: another cost saving.
In Summary
Landlords seeking to reduce costs, decrease risks and liability and enjoy flexibility could well benefit from opting for electric central heating. It’s worth getting some quotes for comparison purposes.